On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken began a 10-day visit to six Asian countries. According to senior U.S. officials, the visit indicates America’s full commitment to the Indo-Pacific region and a reorientation towards its biggest strategic rival, the CCP.
Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs, stated at a seminar at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) that the visit to Laos, Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, and Mongolia is one of the longest international trips by a U.S. Secretary of State to date, showing Washington’s “whole-hearted devotion” to the Indo-Pacific region.
“We are building a mesh structure… a chain network of formal and informal relationships, promoting our common interests throughout the region,” Kritenbrink said.
He added, “After the Secretary of State departs, he will demonstrate our full support for ASEAN, supporting our partnership relationships throughout the region.”
Kritenbrink outlined Blinken’s itinerary and goals for the next 10 days, emphasizing, “We fundamentally believe that America’s future security and prosperity are interconnected with the Indo-Pacific region, and therefore, we are elevating the region’s connectivity and partnerships to unprecedented levels.”
“We have made tangible investments that have produced visible benefits for the people of the region and Americans,” he said.
The Biden administration pledged in its 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy to focus on every corner of the region, but conflicts in Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Israel have posed challenges to U.S. engagement.
Analysts believe that with Biden’s decision not to seek re-election in 2024, the remaining term will prioritize foreign policy. Against this backdrop, Blinken’s series of visits to Asia signals a reorientation of U.S. attention towards its largest strategic adversary, the CCP.
At the seminar, Mira Rapp-Hooper, Director for Indo-Pacific Strategy at the White House National Security Council, expressed the U.S. government’s hope for small multilateral groupings in the region like the Quad, U.S.-Japan-South Korea group, and U.S.-Japan-Philippines group to influence each other and collectively uphold a rules-based international order.
She stated, “The strategy is to develop collective capabilities with allies and partners and encourage them to cooperate with the United States in novel ways.”
“Many allies and partners have exceeded all our expectations from three years ago,” Rapp-Hooper noted.
She explained, “This essentially establishes a new regional architecture to strengthen the Indo-Pacific region’s response to various challenges, whether from the PRC, North Korea, climate change, or other threats and challenges.”
She emphasized that the success of the Indo-Pacific strategy revolves around collaboration between the U.S. and its allies to ensure the region’s freedom, openness, stability, and call for China to abide by international rules.
Prior to this visit, Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on Thursday before heading to Vietnam to pay respects to the late General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nguyen Phu Trong.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell has likened Vietnam to a “critical swing state” in the Indo-Pacific, highlighting Vietnam’s support as a key factor in U.S.-China competition for influence in the region.
In Laos, Blinken is scheduled to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
On Sunday, Blinken will hold the “2+2” meeting in Tokyo with U.S. Defense Secretary Austin to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance. South Korea has also indicated its participation in the U.S.-Japan-South Korea tripartite security meeting in Tokyo.
Next Tuesday, Blinken and Austin will visit the Philippines and hold the second “2+2” meeting. This marks the fourth time the U.S. and the Philippines have held a “2+2” meeting and the first in Manila.
At the AEI seminar, Ely Ratner, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, emphasized the importance of these ten days for U.S. defense relationships in the Indo-Pacific.
“In terms of our defense relationships in the Indo-Pacific, these ten days are of paramount significance,” Ratner stated.
He mentioned that the U.S. and Japan will discuss Japan’s military posture, particularly in the Southwest Islands, and think about expanding cooperation in that area.
The Southwest Islands of Japan extend southwest from Kyushu to Taiwan. Increasing activities in the region are aimed at countering China’s growing military threats.
Next Monday, Blinken will attend the Quad Ministerial meeting in Tokyo. The meeting is expected to enhance cooperation in a wide range of areas including maritime, cyber security, disinformation, paving the way for a Quad Leaders’ Summit later this year in India.